AN EIGHTIETH birthday celebration was made all the more memorable when a mum was reunited with her family.

Doreen Smith had an emotional homecoming with her three daughters thanks to a Daily Echo competition.

In conjunction with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, the family were reunited after their story touched the hearts of judges in the competition.

Mrs Smith and one of her daughters Sally Ketteringham live close to each other in Pirrie Close, Shirley, but rarely get the chance to see other sisters Sue and Jane after the latter moved to Canada 28 years ago.

With just weekly Skype calls and the rare family occasion holding the family together, it’s been three years since the four were able to meet up.

Thanks to new flights from Southampton Airport, KLM and the Echo were able to bring them together.

The deserving readers had only been together twice in the last four years - once for the funeral of their dad Tony. But Sally, along with husband Mark, daughter Emma, 24 and son Stephen, 21, were with Doreen at the airport on the eve of Doreen’s birthday waiting for flight KL915 from Amsterdam Schiphol – the final leg of Jane and her family’s KLM journey from Toronto.

Joining them was Sue with her husband James and daughter Hannah, 27. Their son Chris, 24, was waiting at home.

Jane and son Adam, 19, were greeted with hugs and kisses from the family as they walked through arrivals at Southampton.

They then went back to Doreen’s home for a catch-up ahead of a weekend of celebrations, including a barn dance and party.

Sally said: “I saw the competition in the Echo and thought I’d give it a go but I never thought we would win. We see the family on Skype and Facetime all the time but it’s not the same as being there all together. Mum hasn’t felt able to make the trip to Canada and often wondered when she would see Jane again.

“We had an amazing weekend and mum said so many times how lovely it was to have all her family together at last, and how wonderful the team at KLM have been. I can’t tell you how much this has meant to us.”

The reunion campaign was part of a series of events to celebrate KLM’s service from Southampton to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, where passengers can connect to more than 150 worldwide destinations.

Warner Rootliep, general manager of Air France KLM UK and Ireland, said: “When we launched this competition with the Daily Echo, we knew we would hear some incredible stories, but Sally’s entry really stood out. It has been an absolute pleasure to be able to make this dream come true for Doreen on her 80th birthday.”